International Journal of Scientific and Innovative Research 2015; 3(2): 57-62, P-ISSN 2347-2189, E- ISSN 2347-4971
Figure. 2. Molecularium simulation (Trindade, Paiva & Fiolhais, 2001) Some universities of Canada have developed a project called “Modular Approach to Physics (MAP)”, with the intention of helping students to learn the physics concepts. A series of Applets simulations was developed, each one approaching a concept of the physics, with the constructivist character. After the use of Applets in classroom, similar interviews and researches had lead to discover how much these simulations had helped the students and teachers. “During the interviews and focus group discussions, we heard supporting comments from students as well: The Applet helps. It allows you to see what is going on. Anything visual, in my opinion, helps, and the applets help us do the transformation (from the physical [4] situation to physics language)” . After the analysis of the obtained results, the improvement of the students when the simulations had been used to assist a cocreation of the knowledge was clear. The following regarding a teacher who said that he has made use of the Applet at two distinct moments of the school year: “He was honest when he described his different ways of using MAP applet in two terms. According to our class observation records, in the winter term he taught new concepts in the traditional way and used Applets after he had taught the concept. On the other hand, in the fall term he quite often used Applets in the exploratory stage of conceptual construction. The above analysis leads you to conclude the MAP Applets are more functional in a constructivist teaching environment. They work best only when they are included in the right spots in the process of teaching and learning. It is no wonder that the same project can produce different results when used by different teachers. They teach using different style and uses Applets in a different way” [4]. A CASE STUDY OF THE UNIVERSITY
The Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo offers 15 engineering courses, as follows: Civil Engineering Chemical Engineering www.ijsir.co.in
Electrical Engineering - Emphasis Automation and Control Electrical Engineering - Emphasis Computer and Digital Systems Electrical Engineering - Emphasis Electrical Energy and Automation Electrical Engineering -Emphasis Electronic Systems Electrical Engineering - Emphasis Telecommunication Environmental Engineering Materials Engineering Mechanical Engineering Metallurgical Engineering Mining Engineering Naval Engineering Petroleum Engineering Production Engineering Its curricular structure was elaborated in such way that the first year is common to all the courses. In this common year, the following disciplines are taught: General and Experimental Physics for Engineering I Introduction to Computing for Engineering Differential and Integral Calculus for Engineering I Linear Algebra for Engineering I Graphical Geometry for Engineering Introduction to Engineering General Technological Chemistry General and Experimental Physics for Engineering II Numeric Calculus Differential and Integral Calculus for Engineering II Linear Algebra for Engineering II Graphical Representation for Engineering Mechanics A Introduction to Materials Science for Engineering
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